


in the presence of the moon nobody sees the stars

by MarshaDecamiro



Series: alien, we two are aliens [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: M/M, aka the fic where i wanted to write about altean!lance having doubts, altean!lance, and all that jazz but then keith happens along, and he sort of feels better, it's pretty platonic between the two of them tbh, just dudes talking and all that jazz
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-28
Updated: 2017-06-28
Packaged: 2018-11-20 03:11:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11327487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarshaDecamiro/pseuds/MarshaDecamiro
Summary: Allura was like the moon, everyone was drawn to her focused on her while Lance felt like the stars. There, but never acknowledged by those who looked up at the sky, too mystified by the ethereal glow of the moon to really see past it. He still felt that empty, ignored feeling gnawing at him even after learning that he was the Paladin for the Blue Lion. He felt like a replacement when he should, in fact, feel proud of being a Paladin. Honored to be chosen by the Blue Lion as it's Paladin, but he couldn't. Staring out at the stars that often went so unnoticed just like him in favor of the moon and those that revolve around it, but then something strange happened.Someone noticed him.





	in the presence of the moon nobody sees the stars

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to write a short bit of Altean!Lance and Keith bonding. I really want to write more for Altean!Lance/Keith since I really had fun writing this one-shot and if you'd like to see another small short for these two dorks bonding then feel free to chuck me a message on here or to my Tumblr. 
> 
> I hope that you all enjoy reading this!

In the presence of the moon who needs to even notice the stars? The moon never failed to cast an ethereal like glow to everything it touched, giving it an air of mystery that other's just had to figure out, but the stars? Nobody noticed the stars, favoring the mystery and wonder that came from the moon over looking at those far away balls of gas that were millions of miles away, hanging in the sky like glittering jewels. Lance felt just like them, looked over even by those he was to help lead alongside his sister. Allura held an air of authority that their father had about him, the Paladin's of Voltron listened to her, their eyes never straying too far from her while she explained the in's and outs of what each one as a Paladin was expected to do. If he were to compare his sister to anything, it would be to that of a beautiful warrior goddess. The ethereal glow of the moon seemed to cling to every inch of her skin, each movement, and the words she spoke the Paladin's listened with great interest. 

Lance felt like the stars, something so far away, so unable to connect and truly walk beside his sister in leading the Paladins to the battle against Zarkon. Even after learning that he was chosen by the Blue Lion itself to become it's new Paladin, Allura was proud of him. Tears escaping her eyes while she congratulated him, holding him close and telling him that she was so proud of him. That he would make an amazing Paladin, and Lance wanted to be just as excited as his sister, but he couldn't bring himself to be. He felt like a replacement, his sister's tears and being proud of him felt like a well thought out lie. The Bayard in his hand felt like a lead weight and the eyes of the Blue Lion seemed to see into his very soul. He simply smiled, making a joke to which Allura laughed at (oh how he missed hearing her laughter, how he missed seeing her look happy) and went on his way. 

Changing from his formal wear to that of the Paladin's armor only made that heavy weight that had settled on his shoulders move to his heart. If they were unable to beat the Galra so many years ago.... then what sort of chance did these humans stand against them? Lance's heart felt heavy, tears welling in his eyes. Those negative thoughts staining his brain once more again, and again. What if they were to fail even with Voltron? These humans and their short lifespans... they were leading them to their deaths. Lance hates it. He's had enough death to last him for several lifetimes, he doesn't want to see these kind people's lives being thrown away for something like this. 

Lance decides then and there that he wants to be someone worthy of being relied on by the Paladins, but he feels as if he's often overlooked. Overshadowed by his own shortcomings, his doubts and the every growing feeling that he's vanishing into the background when Allura comes into the picture. So here he sits, looking out into the empty inky blackness of space at the stars he felt such a connection to. His fingertip drawing lines between each star to make a design out of them. He's trying so hard to live up the name of Paladin, to be relied on by his fellow Paladins, to make his sister proud and maybe even try to prove something to himself. 

The noose around his neck only seemed to become even tighter with each and every little thought. Closing his eyes he wants to run away, he wants to get lost in that inky blackness amongst the stars he feels so much of a connection with. 

"There you are," the voice made Lance jump, he turned to see the Red Paladin, Keith walking towards him. Taking a seat next to him and looking out at the stars, not looking directly at him, but for some reason, Lance didn't feel ignored. "What's wrong Lance?" 

"W-what makes you ask that?" Lance was started by Keith's question, earning a glance from the human. 

"You always come here, lose track of time and then come out looking as if you were just run over by a truck," Keith paused for a moment, taking in the confused expression Lance made when he said 'truck' ah Earth things still confused him, but he was trying. "Whatever's eating you, Lance, you can just tell me." 

"And why would I do that Keith?" Lance snapped back at Keith, he didn't mean to, but whenever it came to the Red Paladin he found himself reacting before he could fully process his thoughts into something more civil, something more respectable of his position. Something similar to how Allura would handle her wording with the Paladins. 

"Because were partners Lance, were fighting side by side with one another trying to win what seems to be a hopeless battle. So if that does not seem like a good enough reason for you then I'm not sure what else to say." Keith looked back at the stars, giving Lance some space (which he appreciated greatly) to give the Altean Prince some time to think. 

"When you look up at the night's sky what's the first thing that you see Keith?" Lance asked quietly, his voice barely above a whisper causing Keith to look back at him. It was the Altean Prince's turn to look out the window at the stars, giving Keith a chance to think of his reply. 

"The moon." was Keith's reply to Lance's question, earning a sad chuckle from the Prince while he flopped backward to lay on the floor, a sad smile on his face. 

"Figures. Nobody ever notices the stars first it's really kind of sad don't you think so?" Lance moved so that he was laying on his side looking at Keith, resting his cheek on his upper arm. "Can't say that I really blame you after all the moon is bigger and more important than the stars." 

"Lance, what's this got to do with anything?" Keith was honestly confused, what was up with Lance asking what he noticed first when he looked at the sky. 

"Everything if you want me to be honest with you Keith," Lance replied, taking a moment to gather his thoughts before he spoke "Allura is like the moon and I'm like the stars. I'm just here like the stars, there but never really acknowledge everyone's to mystified by the moon to see anything past it. It makes you feel empty, ignored and alone. Even though I'm Blue's Paladin... I still feel as if I'm nothing compared to the moon or the other's that revolve around it. Blue's old Paladin was much, much better than me the replacement Paladin for someone that was lost in the fall of our home. I feel so useless. If anything like that happens again... you'll have all been brought here for nothing. You'll have died in vain for a cause that was doomed from the start. Beating someone whom even the Paladin's of old couldn't defeat such a task is laughable." 

Lance laughed, but Keith could feel self-deprecating that laugh truly was and it made him bite the inside of his cheek. He never really truly understood what caused Lance to look so upset, so distracted whenever he was training or even when they formed Voltron. Sometimes he could feel Lance slipping away through the connection that was shared through the Lion's when Voltron was formed. Lance felt useless. As if he wasn't contributing anything at all, that he was existing in his sister's shadow, living as a replacement for someone who was lost along with their home. Dealing with how hopeless their task felt, worrying himself over each of the Paladin's and his own seemingly transparent existence. 

"You're not a replacement Lance," Keith saw how quickly Lance looked up at him, his eyes so similar to Allura's, but different. He could see everything that made Lance... Lance simply by looking at his eyes. He could see the worry, the emotion everything that Lance was worried about was in his eyes. "Blue chose you because she wanted to, she chose you for you, Lance. Not as a replacement for the Paladin that was lost. You show qualities that Blue believes that would make you a great Paladin, if not greater than the previous one. Who knows you could be right about this task of defeating Zarkon might be hopeless and how it could end in defeat, but we still have to try and stop him. There's nothing worse than ignoring something that hurts others just for the sake of staying safe, and whenever we are able to help someone even you have to admit that it seems like we could win." 

"And Lance while the first thing that we see from planet side might be the moon, the stars are not ignored. The Moon see's you, the planets that revolve around you see you, Lance. You're not as ignored as you truly believe yourself to be Lance. The sky would be a lonely place without the stars to greet us, the stars are also able to be used to find our way home. Every single night day in and day out like clockwork we are able to see them, and sometimes the stars are even more beautiful and well noticed that the moon." Keith paused seeing Lance's eyes were wide, his attention focused on Keith alone, his eyes drinking in the sight before him. Searing Keith's words to memory. 

"We notice you, Lance," Keith finished with a smile before standing up and stretching, a few of his bones popping before he looked down holding his hand out for Lance to take, "No matter how brightly the moon might shine in the sky Lance I will always see you first." Lance felt his eyes starting to burn while he took Keith's outstretched hand. He couldn't help it. While it might have been small, it felt so good to hear Keith say it. 

Someone noticed him.

**Author's Note:**

> I made another short for this fic [oxygen not included](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11344635) despite the name of the fic oxygen is included in it.


End file.
